Playing without two projected starters, No. 25 Texas A&M still found a way to cruise to an 88-65 victory against No. 11 West Virginia in Germany.
Tyler Davis and Admon Gilder each scored 23 points for the Aggies, who rallied from an early deficit to shoot 48 percent from the floor against the Mountaineers.
D.J. Hogg added 19 for Texas A&M.
West Virginia was led in scoring by James Bolden, with the sophomore guard scoring 19 points on the night.
The Aggies scored a huge advantage on the boards, out-rebounding the Bob Huggins’ squad 45-37 on the night.
Lovell’s Analysis
This a result that may surprise some people.
With Williams and Caldwell sidelined, it seemed as though the Aggies could struggle in their attempt to get past West Virginia’s daunting defense.
However, after a slow start, Billy Kennedy’s squad adjusted and took better care of the ball. While Texas A&M committed 18 turnovers in the game, West Virginia was only able to score 17 points off of them.
.@Coach_Kennedy gives his thoughts following the win over West Virginia #12thMan #ArmedForcesClassic pic.twitter.com/iMCDbrWt41
— Texas A&M Basketball (@aggiembk) November 11, 2017
I’ve said it all offseason, but it’s worth repeating: The Aggies are right there in the mix for being an SEC title contender.
Of course, they also have the potential to be something more than that.
When Williams and Caldwell return to the floor, Texas A&M has a chance to be scary good.
And while it’s only one game, it appears this team is built for a deep run in March.